Explosive bolt



Nov. 14, 1967 Fig.3

Filed April 29, 1966 A l /5 g l /'/9/3 24 32 29 n Fig.5

I T j 'III, 24 Ii 30 25 29 /7 2/ f M: Z Z /5 /9 23 32 INVENTOR. I KarlR. Brown BY id/ W a% W4w A T TOR/VEYS United States Patent ()fiice3,352,189 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 Army Filed Apr. 29, 1966, Ser. No.547,077 4 Claims. (Cl. 851) The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by and for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to releasable components and more particularly toa bolt or like elements which may be instantly released from anassociated member with which it is associated by means of an explosivecharge.

Explosive charges utilized in cooperating structures are presently knownfor efiecting the quick release of one piece of structure from another.Such devices are utilized in the aircraft industry for effecting thequick release of closures, canopies, auxiliary gas tanks, bombs, etc.,positioned at remote locations. Such quick release means may be utilizedin any type of installation where instantaneous release of assembledparts are required.

In certain instances, the noise created by the utilization of explosivecharges in cooperating structures for effecting the quick release of onepiece of structure from another cannot be tolerated. It has beendiscovered that quieted operations are achieved by sealing thepropellant gases from the surrounding atmosphere on activation of theexplosive device. In addition, a high initial propelling force isexerted on the propelled material on the sealing of the explosivegenerated propellant gases.

It is an object of the invention to provide and disclose a membercontaining an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with anassociated member, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge,said associated member is instantaneously propelled therefrom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a membercontaining an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with anassociated member, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge,the generated propellant gases are sealed from the atmosphere, therebyresulting in a quieted explosion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a membercontaining an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with anassociated member whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge, thegenerated propellant gases are sealed from the atmosphere, therebyresulting in the exertion of a high initial force on the associatedmember being propelled.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a membercontaining an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with anassociated member, whereby on the detonation of the explosive charge,there is an absence of fragmentation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a membercontaining an explosive charge therein, and adapted to cooperate with anassociated member, wherein the member and associated member are simpleand compact in design and construction and easily manufactured.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device in anundetonated condition.

FIGURE 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken through line 2-2 of FIGURE1.

FIGURE 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device in adetonated condition.

FIGURE 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken through line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 shows an exploded longitudinal sectional view of the device.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, the device comprises cylindrical housing 10,which contains a longitudinal coaxial bore 11 extending partiallytherethrough. Bore 11 comprises threaded section 13 at one end, shoulderE16, and reduced diameter 18, which terminates on surface 12 at theother end. Extending axially from the closed end of cylindrical housing10 is cylindrical bolt 25, being separated therefrom by integral web 32.Cylindrical bolt 25 comprises a threaded end 29 and a smooth end 30having a diameter substantially equal to reduce diameter 18 of bore 11.Cylindrical housing 10 and bolt 25 projecting therefrom are machinedfrom one piece. The threaded end of bore 11 is suitably contoured toreceive externally threaded cylindrical propellant housing 15. In theassem bly of the device, a threaded sealing compound may be utilized inorder to assure a complete seal. Longitudinal coaxial bore 17 extendsthrough propellant housing 15 to cylindrical detonation well 19, whichcontains explosive charge 24 as shown in FIGURE 1. Electric leads 14pass through bore 17 and are embedded in explosive charge 20 in such amanner that the charge will be detonated when an electric current iscaused to flow through the leads. Detonation well 19 is formed by thehollowed abutting ends of cylindrical propellant housing 15 and plunger21, which comprises a cylindrical shaped object having a diameter equalto cylindrical propellant housing 15 at its hollowed abutting end andreduced diameter 22 at the other end. Seal 23 is positionedcircumferentially on reduced diameter 22 so as to encompass asubstantial portion thereof, and in an amount so that the combineddiameter of the reduced section of the plunger and the seal is equal tothe unreduced section of the plunger. The seal may be of any suitablematerial which possesses the characteristics of pliability andextrudability, e.g., rubber. In addition, a Tygon seal was tested andfound to be effective.

On the detonation of explosive charge 20 in detonation well 19, theexplosive gases generated thereby motivate plunger 21 laterally so thatsurface 24 is connected with surface 12 of cylindrical housing 10. As aresult, seal 23 is compressed between shoulder 26 of plunger 21 andshoulder 16 of cylindrical housing 10. As a result of the compression ofthe seal between two shoulders, seal 23 is extruded circumferentiallyover the reduced and nonreduced sections of plunger 21, as shown inFIGURE 3. Concurrently with the compression and extrusion of seal 23,the force of contact of surface 24 of plunger 21 against surface 12 ofcylindrical housing 10 shears the integral web 32, thereby expellingbolt 25. The noise is reduced to that created by the plunger shearingthe integral web 32 between the cylindrical housing and bolt. Thecompression and extrusion of the seal by the lateral movement of plunger21 seals the device, thereby preventing the escape of the propellantgases.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade by Way of example and that numerous changes in the detail ofconstruction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

1. A gas sealed propelling arrangement comprising a cylindrical housingand bolt separated by an integral web, said cylindrical housing having alongitudinal coaxial partially threaded bore extending partiallytherethrough, an externally threaded cylindrical propellant housingencompassed within the cylindrical housing and suitably contoured so asto be compatible with the internally threaded section of the cylindricalhousing, said propellant housing having a longitudinal coaxial boreextending therethrough which terminates into a hollowed end, acylindrical plunger having a reduced diameter section encompassed withinthe unthreaded section of the cylindrical housing, said cylindricalplunger having a hollowed end abutting the hollowed end of thepropellant housing so as to form a well, the other end of saidcylindrical plunger abutting the integral web, sealing means positionedcircumferentially on the reduced section of the cylindrical plunger, anexplosive charge positioned within the well, electric leads passingthrough the bore of the propellant housing and embedded in the explosivecharge in such a manner that the charge is detonated when an electriccurrent is caused to flow through the leads.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sealing meansutilized are constructed of rubber.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 whereby on the detonation of theexplosive charge within the well, the cylindrical plunger is motivatedaxially thereby extruding the sealing means circumferentially on thereduced and unreduced section of the cylindrical plunger, therebysealing the explosive gases.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3, whereby on the detonation of theexplosive charge within the well, the cylindrical plunger is motivatedaxially, thereby shearing the integral web and separating the bolt fromthe cylindrical housing.

No references cited.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner.

1. A GAS SEALED PROPELLING ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSINGAND BOLT SEPARATED BY AN INTEGRAL WEB, SAID CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING ALONGITUDINAL COAXIAL PARTIALLY THREADED BORE EXTENDING PARTIALLYTHERETHROUGH, AN EXTERNALLY THREADED CYLINDRICAL PROPELLANT HOUSINGENCOMPASSED WITHIN THE CYLINDRICAL HOUSING AND SUITABLY CONTOURED SO ASTO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE INTERNALLY THREADED SECTION OF THE CYLINDRICALHOUSING, SAID PROPELLANT HOUSING HAVING A LONGITUDINAL COACIAL BOREEXTENDING THERETHROUGH WHICH TERMINATES INTO A HOLLOWED END, ACYLINDRICAL PLUNGER HAVING A REDUCED DIAMETER SECTION ENCOMPASSED WITHINTHE UNTHREADED SECTION OF THE CYLINDRICAL HOUSING, SAID CYLINDRICALPLUNGER HAVING A HOLLOWED END ABUTTING THE HOLLOWED END OF THEPROPELLANT HOUSING SO AS TO FORM A WELL, THE OTHER END OF SAIDCYLINDRICAL PLUNGER